Shading with Stain {A Video Tutorial}

Ahhhhhhh! I’m so excited to finally be writing this post! It’s been a long time coming. Recall for a moment my granny’s dining table that she so generously passed down to me.

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The yellow is… charming. But not the look we’re going for in our home. And the top surface was in pretty bad shape. Scratches up the wazoo. The finish was so old and deteriorated that it sanded off pretty easily, so I didn’t have to strip! I went at it with my orbital sander until the finish was completely gone and I was left with raw wood. Then I finished it off with 220 sand paper to make it suuuuuper smooth.

We taped/papered off the top surface and lightly sanded everything else with 120 grit sandpaper. When preparing to paint, it’s important to rough up the surface so the prime/paint has something to grip onto. Especially if the previous coat of paint has any glossy qualities to it.

We used Rustoleum Primer using our paint gun. It only took one coat! I kinda loved it simply being white! But that wasn’t my vision.

We reached out to the folks at Modern Masters, because we’ve heard wonderful things about their metallic paints. I really wanted to try their ‘Warm Silver’ …which translates to a muted gold/copper on my opinion. They were excited about our project, and generous enough to send us some of their fabulous paint to try out! It’s such a smooth creamy texture, with great coverage.

I love how it’s shimmery, yet still an earth-tone… because I’m wanting to accent in other colors. And I also didn’t want the color of the table to be too loud and take attention away from what I’m about to do to the top. *EVIL LAUGH!*

Our staining technique has been one of our most popular posts of all time, and we’re suuuuuper proud of the fact that we sort of ‘invented’ the idea of using wood stain as a medium for artwork and shading. I started by finding an image of a rose that I liked, traced it onto a transparency with a sharpie, projected it onto the table top with an overhead projector, and traced with a pencil. (Talk about a run-on sentence!) As cliché as they are, I love roses… but after this mornings’ post, I’m thinking I should have done a dandelion!

I used JUST ONE SHADE OF STAIN on this one (RustOleum Dark Walnut) and I love the organic and beautiful feel it gives. Let’s just say it’s my favorite furniture transformation OF ALL TIME. And it’s sentimental, being an heirloom… so double whammy y’all.

We video taped the actual staining process for you to watch for yourself!

..If you are intrigued by this technique, but not feeling confident enough to give it a try for yourself, be sure to check out my Beginner’s Tutorial, and/or watch the step-by-step demonstration in the video below!

And be sure to check out the other projects we’ve done using this technique!

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Huge thanks to Rustoleum for agreeing to sponsor this project. Their stains are hands-down the best, and we’re thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to represent them and spread the word! *this post contains affiliate links

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About Bethany Sy

Bethany Sy is the creative free-spirit behind DIY/Lifestyle blog, Reality Daydream. She and her husband have been making their 117-year-old homestead their own, and love sharing tips and tutorials along the way. When they found themselves in the trenches of infertility, they started a journey that would prove to be their most important DIY project ever, and have 3 beautiful girls to show for it.

Amazing!!!! But the video of your process is NOT the big giant rose, it is the colored roses. I would love to see the video of the full rose on your heirloom table. The pics and the pinned example show the big rose, but not the actual video. Can we see that somewhere?

Teresa, I’ve been searching and searching for where I might have found that rose image, and I’m coming up with nothing. I’m so sorry! It’s been a couple years and I just can’t remember. Have you done a google image search for Rose? There are some really beautiful ones! <3

I love this technique of shading you have come up with. After perfecting the shading skill from your tutorial I plan on stripping my mother’s tea cart and putting to use what I’ve learned from you. I have a few questions though. First, my tea cart has two side extensions each about a foot in width and the center top is only about 24″L X 18″W. Have you ever worked on pieces that have drop-sides like mine? If so, since the sides are normally folded down, how would you advise me in working in the design along the seams? After creating my masterpiece, I prefer the table to have a soft satin finish instead of using a glossy polyurethane. Is there a specific product you have used in the past, similar to what I’d like my results to be, that you prefer over other product finishes that you could recommend?

I read that you prefer to keep you location obscure, only stating you’re in Iowa; however, I wondered if you have ever been requested to finish a personal piece for a customer?

Hi Bethany, I recently was introduced to your shading with stain technique from a friend and thought “No Way can I do that” with the extent of my drawing skills being stick figures but I gave it a shot with another first time project building a bench. Here is the finished project.

Hi Beth, I have been following you since last October and just being blown away by your artistic talent!!!! I noticed on the “granny” table that you did the rose on that the paint gun you used was small…I am interested in where I might be able to find one like it. I bought a spray gun but it has this really long hose and stuff and I haven’t used it due to the cleanup involved…I am going to “try” your technique…notice I said TRY….I figure if I mess it up, I can do it over or change the plan entirely….we’ll see. I hope you can share with me. Thanks! my email is

I just stumbled across your blog on pinterest and I actually do similar work with stain, through a different technique. I’ve done a couple of coffee tables, I have a wooden toy chest that I’m currently working on, and a round dining room table that i have only sanded down so far…got ahead of myself starting another project before finishing the first. I have never met anyone else who works with stain as a medium and you do gorgeous work.

I absolutely love this technique. I have no artistic ability so I have enlisted my very talented BFF who is an excellent artist to do a piece for me. We shall see. LOL. Thanks for the ideas and wonderful blog that keeps me inspired.

Bethany, your diningtable turned out absolutely gorgeous. You have an amazing talent for everything you do. In watching the tutorial, I actually am beginning to believe I might me able to replicate your technique on a smaller scale…something like your picture…lol! I enjoy flowers of any kind and would love to hang your picture on my wall. Thank you for the opportunity.

I think it turned out beautifully. I have loved your website for awhile now and you have motivated me to start tackling some projects of my own. I think i’ll just start out doing a small table and work my way up,,,lol As far as the shading projects you have done…they are my absolute favorite! I just don’t know where you would go darker or lighter and what spots to shade in exactly and i would be afraid to mess up…then again messing up is part of the learning process. 🙂

Also love the dandelion story, I’m the same way with fingerprints on glass. My neighbor used to complain all the time about her grandbabies messing up the windows and I always thought how I’d give ANYTHING for messy fingerprints everywhere. Now thanks for IVF, I have just that and I love it! 🙂

I too thought the chairs were pretty awesome before… But I am addicted to your staining techniques and this design is beautiful too! I have gotten so many compliments on the table top I did with your high-jacked idea! Keep ’em coming!!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I’ve watched a couple times it’s that cool- cool techno music in the background- I somehow hear ‘flight of the bumble bee’ in my headRustoleum should be super proud of their product & being a part of your technique!

i am kinda thick but i finally got it when you did the middle dot lol…still don’t know if i would be brave enough to try it….still sending good vibes to your two little babies that they work and come home with you someday xx

I love this! What a clever idea and I love how this is the perfect piece to sit around the table at! I do have a question ~ what did you seal this with? It probably needs to be super durable considering all the use a kitchen table gets!

I still remember the first time I met you at the Iowa Blogger Event in IC – I had been pining over one of your buffets that you redid with my teacher friends, and there you were in the flesh! It was like I met my celebrity DIY crush! Keep up the great work, B!

I have loved what have you done with this since the first project. I was just wondering if you have thought about ever trying a different drawing or image? I have been thinking of trying to do an Ultra sound picture of my son. Do you think it would work? I have not tried it yet bc I didn’t think it would be a good idea to deal with stain while pregnant. I also have hesitations bc my drawing skills are not that great. I also wanted to wish you the best of luck and that you will some day meet all of your embryos!

I LOVE the table! Your grandmother would be proud! I have loved your stain work from when I first saw it. Thank you for the tutorial…it almost looks easy! Am looking forward to trying myself this summer.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Now I really understand how you did this. One of my summer projects was to try this. Now I’m ready to dive in. I love, love, love your grandmother’s table! Thanks for this inspiration! You are so creative!

This is such a gorgeous idea! I love how creative and unique it is! You are so amazingly talented! I would love to see a dandelion for your daughters’ adorable room as artwork, I think it would be spectacular!

This is stunning! I really, really hope we can win the rose board- we’re in the final stages of an adoption of our gorgeous little girl Rose! I’d love to hang this in our home for her, when she gets here!

Ever since you used this technique on the dresser I’ve been dying to try it out myself. Do you Have any ideas of images that would work well with this technique that doesn’t involve flowers? My husband isn’t such a fan of them but we both love the idea .

That is such a beautiful table! I truly love all of your projects. You have such a creative approach to everything, and I am always looking to your blog for new ideas:) I love seeing what new ideas you come up with because they are so unique and fun. I am not as handy as you (I hope to learn to be!) but I am always directing my boyfriend to your blog to try new projects. Thank you for always sharing the process!I hope everything goes well for you and your family. I will be thinking about on you on June 12th:)

Wow these are just so attractive and eye catching! I love that you have chosen to do something new with an older piece. It updates the look without ruining the beauty of wood! Very unique and innovative!

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